Silo-roof.



F. H. DOUTHI TT. SILO ROOF. APPLICATION FILED OCT- 30. I916.

LMQJSQ. PatentedSspt. 18,191?

2 SHEETS-SHEET1- F. H DOUTHITT. HSILO. ROOF. APPLICATION HLED OCT. 130,i916- PatentedSept. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETSr-SHEET 2.

' FRAnK I-I. DOUTI-IVITT, or CLINTON, IOWA.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, FRANK H. Don'rrrrr'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clinton, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Silo-Roofs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to silo roofs and is designed to provide asimple. and eflicient roof structure of theopening type wherein the roofsections, while in their open position, may constitute additions ,to thesilo :body itself to increase the-capacity of 'the same during the timeit is being filled withv en silage I r Among the principal objectsof-this invention,is a structure whereby thevarious sections maybesupported to constitute a closed roof without thenecessity ofresorting to the use of rafters or to a permanent center postconstruction. Additionally, the invention also consists in a structurewhereby the lower or'bottom edges of the roof maybe contracted orexpanded to accommodate silos varying somewhatboth in size and incontour in plan, the tops of each of the roof sections being connectedto cooperate with this contraction and expansion so that the peak orcrown portion of the roof is adjustable to assume various heights;

A further object .ofthe invention resides in a structure for supportingthe roof hinge members from the silo body so that they will bepermanently kept in position once they are applied.

Other improved features of this invention will become more apparentafter a detailed I description of the accompanying sheets of drawings,in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts,and inwhich:

Figure 1 shows the upper portion of a silo in vertical section with myimproved type of roof applied thereto and shown in open position,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1, i

Fig. 3 shows the upper end of a silo in side elevation with my roofapplied thereto and shown in closed position,

Fig. 4 is a section illustrating two diametrically opposed sectionsonly,

Fig. 5 is an inside face view of one of the roof sections and,

Fig. 6 is an edge viewlookingfrom the rear of one of the roof sections.

In these several views, the tank or silo body is designated by thereference numeral 1 and to the upper edge of this tank there are secureda pluralit of substantially U- shaped bracket members 2. Each bracketmember is provided with an inside leg 3 carrying the set screw 1,whereby the device may be temporarily attached to a silo and an outsideleg 5 provided with a stirrup ,6 at its lower end. Each U-shaped memberalso carries an upwardly inclined pierced ear shown at 7, which earscooperate with I Specification of Letters ZPatent. Patentedsept. 18,1917.

Application filed October 30, 1916. Serial No. 128,364.

anchor rods 8 carried by each of the roof sections 9 to form hinge andsupporting structures. The U-shaped bracket members 2 are temporarilyapplied to the silo by means of the set screw 4 and after all have beenproperly positioned, they are permanently held in place by means of aband shown at 10 and also shown as being located between the lower edgeof the pierced ear portion 7 and the stirrup 6. This band extendscircumferentially about the tank in the manner described and is adjustedto proper size by means of the bolt and nut structure shown at 11 aspassing through the outturned ends 12 of the band. Each roof section isformed of a converging or triangularly shapedmetal plate secured to thetop side of an angle iron frame section 13. Each frame section isprovided with a cross 3 piece 1 1 and it is by means of this cross pieceand the end piece 15 of the frame 13, that the anchor rods 8 aresupported in position. The-end'of each anchor rod isthreaded as is shownand rigidly held in position by drawing the nuts 16 into holdingengagementwith the end piece 15, the pierced ears 7 engaging the anchorrods between the cross pieces lt and 15, as is shown. Each anchor rod isalso provided with a set collar shown at 17 and it is by means of theseset collars that'the roof sections are adjusted to their positions aswill be presently related.

The upper ends of each of the roof sections is provided with a V-shapedbracket member shown at 18, one leg of each of which is provided with aslotted opening 19. To one of these brackets there is rigidly attached aring member 20 provided with a series of holes corresponding in numberwith the number of roof sections, it being the purpose of this ring torigidly secure the top ends of the roof sections together by means ofthe bolt and nut structures 21 passing through the aperture in the ringmember 20 and the slotted openings 19 of the brackets 18. In order tofurther secure the parts in position, the ring member is provided with ahorizontal base piece 22 through which a cap bolt 23 is designed topass. This cap bolt carries the conical cap 24: at its upper end andthis cap securely fits over the peak or crown portion of theassembled'roof sections and is rigidly held in position by tightening ofthe nut 25 on the lower end of the bolt 23. T

The manner of assembling my roof is as follows: The clamp members 2 areall properly located and the anchor rods 8 caused to pass through thepierced ear portions 7. The section 9 carrying the supporting ring 20 isfirst placed in position and then the section diametrically opposite isplaced in position and the parts united by means of the bolt and nutstructures 21, The set collars 17 are then moved to their properpositions tocooperate with the pierced ears 7 to prevent the sectionsfrom expanding after these sections have been properly adjustedaccording tothe size and shape of the silo itself. The remainingsections arev then placed in position in the same manner. Should thesilo vary slightly in size, or be larger than standard size, the roofsections may be expanded by moving the set collars 17 upwardly on theanchor rods 8, which correspondinglylowers the peak or crown portion ofthe roof sections. This lowering of the top of the peak portion of theroof is permitted because of the absence of any rafters andbecause' ofthe elongation or contraction of the effective length of the bolt 23,which effective length is measured between the cap 24L and thecrosspiece 22 of the supporting ring 21. Further, should certain of thesections be warped or bent, so that they do not properly overlap, thisoverlapping may be adjusted by adjusting the tops of the sectionsthrough their slotted connection 19 with the] supporting ring 21 untilthe proper closure is had. In opening, should it be desired to have thesections dropped parallel with the sides of the silo, as indicated inFig. 1, this may be effected by correspondingly adjusting the setcollars 17, as is shown in this figure. Sometimes, this is deemeddesirable in order to reduce the wind surface or for any number of otherreasons well known.

After the sections have been moved to opening position, they may bepositively held in such position by means of the locking bars 26centrally pivoted at27 one to each section, as is shown. WVhen thesections are moved to open position, these locking bars may be swung toassume a horizontal position and inasmuch as they are of such lengththat their ends overlap slightly, they present an annular band and theoverlapping ends may be locked in such position by means of the U-shapedbolts shown at said supporting means, and means for giving the propersupport to the top of said sections. j

2. In a silo, a plurality of converging roof sections, an anchor rodextending longitudinally of each of said sections, supporting means forsecuring said sections to the upper edge of a silo by means of saidrods, a collar adjustably carried by each rod to cooperate with saidsupporting means to hold the sections in proper position, and means forgivingthe said sections. 7 4

3. Ina silo, a plurality of converging roof sections, an anchorrodextending longitudiproper support to the top of nally of each of saidsections, supporting means for securing said sections tothe upper edgeofa silo by means of said rods, adjustment means cooperating with saidrods and said supporting means to permit the adjustment of said rods insaid supporting means, and means for adjustably supporting the tops'ofsaid sections to permit their assuming'various heights as their bottomsare expanded or'contracted by movement of said anchor rods through theirsupporting means.

4. In a silo, a plurality of converging roof sections, means foradjustably supporting the lower ends of said sections from the upperedge of a silo so that said sections may be expanded or contracted, andadjustment means for supporting the tops-of said sections to permittheir individual adjustment to permit their assumlng various heights astheir bottoms are expanded or contracted.

5. In a s1lo, a plurallty of converging roof sections, means for adjustably supportingthe lower ends of said sections from the upper edge ofa silo so that said sections may be ex? panded or contracted, a ringmember to which the upper ends of said sections are attached, and meanswhereby the upper ends of said sections may be adjustably connected tosaid ring to permit their assuming various heights. I V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. DOUTHITT- Witnesses WV. H. BOYLE, R. W. WIoKs.

Gojies of this patent may-be obtained for fi've cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

